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Living in Britain Tore My Life Apart (Was It Worth It?)

The Hickson Diaries

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I didn’t move to England to become a different person — I just wanted a different postcode. Three and a half years after moving abroad from America, I don’t recognize my own voicemail, and I’m still not sure if what I lost was worth what I found.

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⭐ CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 The Move That Changed Everything
0:51 The Loss That Started the Reckoning
1:44 Learning to Slow Down
2:40 Britain's Walking Culture & Community
3:35 Dropping the Black-and-White Lens
4:58 Letting Go of the American Dream
6:01 What the Move Opened Up for My Family
7:55 Britain as a Mirror
8:40 Accepting What Can't Be Resolved
9:45 Coming Back

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#AmericanInUK #ExpatLife #HicksonDiaries #movingon

20 Comments

@TheHicksonDiaries Creator 2 months ago Pinned

This one’s less “here’s what changed” and more “here’s what I finally admitted to myself.” If any part of it landed, tell me which one — I read every comment on these. And if you’re in the middle of your own uninvited audit right now, you’re not behind. You’re just in it.

@lif9774 2 months ago

You came
to the uk for a reason and life is showing you something.. you will be ok.❤

@frankgunner8967 2 months ago

Keep calm and carry on 🇬🇧
After my nan lost everything in the Blitz on London an old lady brewd up a pot and said things will look better after a nice cuppa tea

@petergladman3054 2 months ago

Mandy you don't need to go back to being anything other than who you are now. You are a survivor, putting up with us Brits for three and a half years has proven that. Just being yourself the way you are is all you need to be. Chin up and keep drinking tea, you've already adjusted to our calmer way of life, just sit back and enjoy it.

@krystynparker8603 2 months ago

Mandy you seem to be a lovely person,please let yourself love yourself. You are worth it!

@michaelstamper5604 2 months ago

When a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, it weaves a cocoon and then inside that cocoon it pretty much dissolves entirely, into a gelatinous fluid. The components of that fluid then rearrange themselves to form a butterfly. So, when it feels as if everything is falling apart, just remember - you're not coming apart, you're metamorphosing. So, spread your wings, take flight and dazzle the world.
Sending big friendly hugs.

@Gary-j4w 2 months ago

Free healthcare and no guns ,youll be just fine.

@chrishobart3914 2 months ago

My motivation for leaving the US was very different. The psychotic medical system was going to kill me. I became diabetic at the age of 27, and it's a weird case, much more difficult to control than most, and my blood sugar drops randomly. Between not needing to drive everywhere, and having reliable and affordable medical insurance, I've got a much more supportable life here (Cheshire, in my case)

@gillywitham 2 months ago

Mandy you are enough and be kind to yourself. Take life as it comes and have faith that the future will continue to get better for you. Take care.

@HarryBarrow-e3u 2 months ago

Thank you for another thoughtful video, and for sharing your feelings.
I am a Brit in the UK and strangely I really want you to feel safe, comfortable and happy here. You have been through a lot, with ups and downs. I hope life is becoming more stable for you.
With very best wishes for you and your family.

@aideenshannon8538 2 months ago

You're a lovely lady. Here in Ireland, we learned to live in the moment because life is so short and a good cuppa goes a long way to comfort yourself. Just be yourself because you are so nice and you deserve to feel happy. You are enough.💚

@purposeinmind 2 months ago

Let those tears flow, you will eventually let go of all the held-back tears of the past that were ignored or shut down. You've got this :virtualhug:

@DraKaiDragonEmperor 2 months ago

Yup, you're acclimating to a whole new world. It's not easy, but you're wiser for it.

@JaneyM-mt8lv 2 months ago

Bless you. I’m 80 years old and now realise that life is about new beginnings and to take the steps forward you have to get rid of baggage that is holding you back. I’m not you, but I wonder whether this is what you have been doing over a long period of time. Preparing to let go and now letting go. It’s scary, but the rewards are worth it. I wish you, your partner and child all the best in your new beginnings. Now, as someone else has suggested, dry your eyes, open a packet of hobnobs and make a cup of tea …………. And then take one step forward, your other foot will follow.

@777petew 2 months ago

If you can recognise the best of American and British life, then it makes you a richer person. Thanks for your thoughtful views. No one and nowhere is perfect.

@craigmcvay1 2 months ago

Its hard but you have to plough on through and see how it unfolds.

@andrewjones1649 2 months ago

Take it easy.
Britiain isn't utopia, but there are worse places to be.

@jamesrowe3606 2 months ago

If you ever wonder whether you can cope with a setback, remind yourself of all the setbacks you've already coped with. The Persian epithet "this too shall pass" says it all about adversity. You're doing great. Carry on girl.

@vickymortimer8842 2 months ago

What you are talking about is EVERYTHING. And no the UK doesn’t hand it you on a plate. As a Brit I’ve also had years where I wasn’t well connected to the things that were most important. It’s easy to get distracted.

Doing something as hard as moving country is a great way to reset your understanding of who you are and what you want. It sounds like it’s been a really profound shakeup for you. I wish you all the best navigating the endless possibilities for your life.